Graz may be Austria's second city but it's tops when it comes to sustainable food culture. Read on to discover more than a dozen things to do in Graz as you dig deep into the city's progressive food scene.
Graz is Austria's second most populous city and the capital of the Styria region - the country's southern farm belt at the Eastern foot of the Austrian Alps. It's an impressive city with two different UNESCO designations - it's both a UNESCO City of Design and a UNESCO World Heritage Center.
Fun fact: Arnold Schwarzenegger hails from Thal, just a 21 minute drive from Graz. You can visit the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum while there. You can even check out the pull up bar that Arnold used to exercise next to Thalersee, a nearby lake.
Arnold attractions aside and most important to us as food travelers, Graz is Austria's Culinary City of Delights. That moniker alone was enough to motivate us to spend a week in Graz peeling the city's culinary layers. Traveling slowly, without rushing from meal to meal, seemed imperative in a city so focused on cuisine.
Ironically, we didn't need a week to connect with the food of Graz. Instead, it took just one one bite of backhendl, Austria's famous fried chicken, to win us over on our first night in the city.
But, as the days turned into a week, our connection continued to strengthen.
As we quickly discovered, Graz's local food movement is nothing new.
Instead, the people of Graz have embraced culinary sustainability for decades, if not longer. We experienced the city's commitment to local food every time we spoke to passionate producers at markets, ate local apples and dined at restaurants run by talented, committed chefs.
Many touring travelers breeze through Graz in a day or two on their way to Vienna. While we get the desire to see as many cities as possible, we don't recommend this approach.
Graz is a city that warrants a longer stay. Food travelers who visit in August can attend the Long Table, the city's premier 'foodie' event which occurs one day each year. Meanwhile, autumnal travelers can check out the city's annual truffle festival.
Don't worry if you missing both of these events - there are plenty of food-focused things to in Graz during the rest of the year.
Visit 2foodtrippers to discover our favorite things to do in Graz.
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